U.S. Approves $2.3 Billion Helicopter Deal for Egypt

The U.S. State Department approved, on Thursday, a military equipment deal for the government of Egypt worth two billion and 300 million dollars.

The deal includes equipment requested by Egypt to develop 43 Apache attack helicopters.

According to the U.S. State Department statement, Egypt intends to use these helicopters to modernize its armed forces to counter terrorist activities in the Sinai Peninsula.   

Egypt is fighting extremist armed groups that target mainly security personnel, and are stationed in the Sinai.

Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, the strongest militant group in the Sinai, sworn the allegiance to the Islamic State in 2014.

In 2014, the United States delivered Egypt 10 Boeing Apache aircraft to support Cairo's efforts to combat terrorism.

On May 3, the General Command of the Armed Forces announced the implementation of 22 raids and 16 other operations, which resulted in the elimination of 126 terrorists in northern and central Sinai.

This comes in the continued heroic role of the armed forces and the police in pursuing terrorist elements in the Sinai, including eliminating terrorist hideouts.

The Air Force has also targeted and destroyed 228 hideouts and shelters used by terrorist elements, in addition to destroying 116 four-wheel drive vehicles.

The forces succeeded in discovering and detonating 630 explosive devices that were planted to target military personnel on their way to operating areas.

The armed forces also destroyed 8 tunnels, seized 56 cars and 226 motorcycles without plates, used by terrorist elements, during the sweeping and raiding activities, in addition to a number of different weapons and explosive belts intended for detonation.

Meantime, as a result of the valiant efforts of the armed forces in the areas of operations, 4 officers, 3 non-commissioned officers and 8 soldiers were martyred and injured during operations.

Finally, the armed forces and the police confirmed their continued efforts to root out terrorism and provide security and safety for the great people of Egypt.

Egypt Fights Terrorism in North Sinai

An explosive device exploded, on April 30, in one of the armored vehicles, south of the city of Bir al-Abd, in North Sinai, resulting in death and injury of an officer, a non-commissioned officer and eight soldiers, according to a statement published on the official Facebook account of the Egyptian Armed Forces’ spokesperson. 

The military spokesman, Colonel Tamer al-Refaie, added that the Armed Forces stressed on the continuation of the anti-terrorism operations against terrorist elements to maintain the security and stability of Egypt. 

Last September, the Ministry of Interior carried out a proactive operation against a terrorist group in North Sinai and killed its elements in a fire exchange. Three Officers and one policeman were injured in two fire exchange.

“The ministry learnt that the group was preparing for hostile activities against police and military forces in and near Gilbana district in North Sinai upon the commands of its fugitive leaders who are currently based abroad,” according to an official statement released.

“One officer was injured in the engagement,” the statement read.

The National Security Department had unveiled a plot to create three secret networks whose missions are smuggling out currency and fugitive Muslim Brotherhood members from Turkey to Europe.

The statement added that the security forced seized a number of guns and ammunition at an Isuzu car in which the terrorists were hiding during the engagement.

“Moreover, the security learnt that a terrorist called Ahmed Adel Mohamed Said whose known nickname is Abo Hamza was hiding near the engagement site. Accordingly, the situation was handled and he was shot after an exchange of fire.”

[caption id="attachment_124715" align="aligncenter" width="639"] Terrorists Killed in N. Sinai, Egypt[/caption]

During the second fire exchange, two officers and one policeman were injured.

Egypt’s security forces have been waging a war over the past four years against an Islamist terrorist insurgency, mostly in North Sinai, that has seen hundreds of security personnel killed, as well as hundreds of terrorists killed in security campaigns.